Axel Adams, National Director of 1000 Churches Connected, Honored in Augusta March 22, 2014

Ann Cooper, Dextor Clinkscale, Trina Heathington, Janice L. Mathis, Esq., Tina Jones, Sintonio Hobbs, Senator Gail P. Davenport and Rev. Fred Favors Congratulate Axel Adams (center).

RPC AND CEF ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SOUTHERN REGION RAINBOW PUSH COALTION

 

 

Voting Rights

 

In 2012, the Atlanta office of RPC convened elected officials from the Southeast to confront the challenge of ALEC, the Tea party and other extreme groups.  The conclave produced regional legislative priorities.  RPC also organized a People’s Court trial of the Voting Rights Act.

 

Civil and Criminal Justice System

 

Robert Patillo, legal consultant to RPC, is planning a legal challenge to the constitutionality of Georgia’s discriminatory Stand Your Ground law. RPC n commented to the United Nations Commission to Eliminate Racial Discrimination (CERD).  The comments were in response to a report on progress toward racial justice issued in May by the U.S. Department of State.  The Southern Region urged support for regional adoption of North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act, which recently resulted in changing a death sentence to life without parole, due to extensive evidence of systematic exclusion of blacks from juries.  Janice Mathis traveled to Sanford, FL twice in support of Trayvon Martin’s family. Davida Mathis traveled attended the Supreme Court oral arguments in Shelby v. Holder, the case that struck down portions of the VRA.

 

Economic Justice

 

Robert Patillo led RPC’s effort to investigate claims of discrimination by Paula Deen Enterprises, resulting in a report of the findings and recommendations for improvement.  So far, Paula Deen Enterprises has failed to respond. RPC also actively educated citizens, particularly students, about the inequities of the lottery as a funding mechanism for public pre-school and higher education.  Lottery-funded scholarships tend to benefit wealthier families at the expense of lower-income frequent lottery players.  RPC attended meetings of MARTA and the Georgia Lottery to urge diversity and inclusion.  It also hosted a Town Hall Meeting on the Affordable Care Act in October at Mount Ephraim with WAOK host Lorraine Jacq White.

 

Trade Bureau – Business Development Director Randolyn “Tina” Jones is focusing the Trade Bureau monthly meetings on promoting new enterprise among minority and female-owned firms, as well as increased access to capital.  TB also specializes in identifying and connecting TB members with public and private contracting opportunities.   As a result of TB advocacy a major hotel chain has adopted energy-saving products distributed by one TB member firm. RPC formed an Opportunity Consortium of TB members in the Advertising, Marketing and PR space to maximize opportunity.

 

International Affairs - Southern Region Director Joseph Beasley continues to lead delegations to various African nations and Haiti to investigate human rights abuses.  He is currently negotiating a new pact with a major U.S. based firm to support NGO’s in Brazil.

 

Legislative Affairs – RPC protested the government shutdown with a picket in front of Atlanta’ Centers for Disease Control.  RPC successfully fought Georgia Packing – a pro-gun lobby that sought to lower the gun carry age from 21 to 18.  RPC successfully lobbied the U.S. Department of Justice to strengthen enforcement of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. It also supported the Obama administration’s national adoption of Georgia Works, a training program for unemployment assistance recipients.

 

Coalition Partnerships – RPC participated in the National Association of Black Journalists Conference, the SCLC National Convention, the National Association of Black Aviation Employees annual legislative conference, and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus annual legislative caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference.

 

The Atlanta office spearheaded a strategic alliance among several advocacy organizations, including Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Black Constructors Association, GABEO and the Georgia Conference of Black Mayors to promote equal contracting and supplier opportunities.  It met with Home Depot Burger in search of broader opportunity for black and minority vendors and employees.

 

CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION FUND, INC.

 

 

Voter Education

CEF and RPC co-hosted three Town Hall meetings in Washington, D.C. during the commemoration of the 50^th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.  Poverty Town Hall speakers included Dr. Otis Moss, Dr. Freddie Haynes and Judge Penny Brown Reynolds.  Members of Congress who participated in the Voting Rights Town Hall included John Conyers, Shelia Jackson Lee, Corrine Brown and Hank Johnson.  The poverty and voting sessions aired live on C-SPAN.

 

VOTING RIGHTS TOWN HALL MEETING ACTION STEPS

VOTING IS FUNDAMENTAL

MARCHING FOR LEGISLATION AND APPROPRIATION

 

1. Educate family, friends, youth and ourselves about the issues that affect the right to vote
2. Get agitated – have a sense of urgency
3. Create alliances
4. Read Justice Ginsburg’s dissent to Shelby v. Holder
5. Get inspired
6. Study state and local elections laws, rules and procedures
7. Volunteer to be a poll watcher or poll worker
8. Register to vote and encourage others to register
9. Report voting changes to the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
10. Protest restrictions on voting
11. Attend local board of elections meetings
12. Join and support RPC, SCLC, NAACP, NAN and other civil and human rights organizations working to protect and expand the right to vote.

 

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition recommends a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT to provide an individualized, affirmative right to vote.  For more information on how you can get involved, call 773 373 3366 or visit www.rainbowpush.org.

 

One Thousand Churches Connected

Axel Adams makes sure this non-sectarian, non-denominational self-help alliance of nearly 2000 congregations is at the heart of CEF.  OTCC focuses on helping congregations and individuals recover from the economic downturn by systematically teaching Hands on Banking and other financial literacy classes across the nation as part of its partnership with Wells Fargo and Bank of America.    Many new congregations joined the alliance.  OTCC also conducted seminars on end of life care with VITAS and participated in numerous fairs, seminars and other educational events.   

 

Foreclosure Prevention

 

Based in Atlanta, Trina Heathington and CEF counseled hundreds of families facing foreclosure and escalating mortgage payments.  CEF made applications for payment forbearance, modification, principal reduction, refinance and other foreclosure prevention measures.  Axel Adams and the CEF staff conducted financial literacy workshops in more than 20 cities including Charlotte, Augusta, Columbia, Greensboro, N.C. and Greenville, S.C., as well as New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

 

Neighborhood Stabilization

 

CEF formed a new partnership with Wells Fargo to put churches in the pipeline to purchase or receive donations of REO property.  The aim of the partnership is to stabilize neighborhoods by reducing blight, increase occupancy and steady property values.

 

Parent Power

 

In August, CEF participated in a Back-to-School expo at Stonecrest Mall.  More than 200 families signed the parent and student pledges for excellence.

 

PUSH-ing for Safety

As a result of discovering that the leading cause of teen deaths in the South is auto collisions, UPS and The Peachtree Street Project continue their partnership with public schools to teach safe driving techniques to approximately 10,000 Georgia youth, using UPS’ Five Seeing Eye Habits interactive curriculum and other tools.  Dextor Clinkscale delivered the classes. 

 

Research – The Peachtree Street Project is currently reviewing data on bank lending to small business owners and plans to issue a report by Spring 2014.  CEF also periodically examines the extent to which Fortune 500 corporations in the Southeast practice diversity and inclusion.

 

Shareholder Activism - The Peachtree Street Project attended annual shareholder meetings at Synovus, Equifax, Cracker Barrel and Yum! Brands in an ongoing effort to promote diversity and inclusion. 

 

 

 

Creating Opportunity Conference Overview

Fairness in the Work Place, the Marketplace and the Public Square 

Creating Opportunity Headliners and Legends

Doug Shipman, Keith Parker, Roger Bobb, G G Dixon, Joseph Leonard,

Horace King, Clarence Pope, Larry West, Richard Applebee, Chuck Kinnebrew, Tommy Dortch, Terrez Thompson, Rita Samuel, Byron Perkins,

Hank Stewart, Patricia Smith, The Wardlaw Brothers, Johnnie Booker

and Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. 

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Citizenship Education Fund will host their 14^th Annual Creating Opportunity Conference in Atlanta, November 1-2 at the Hyatt Regency, 265 Peachtree Street, 30303.  This year’s conference agenda focuses on financial literacy, business growth and development, job creation, civil rights enforcement and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). 

The purpose of the conference is to promote fairness in contracting, hiring, retention and promotion, as well as fair terms and conditions in purchasing, lending and investment.  The conference will also inspire youth and their parents to take advantage of every opportunity to achieve the highest potential. 

Rainbow PUSH has worked with hundreds of families across the nation to avoid foreclosure and retain their homes.   It also pushed progressive ideas such as  the infrastructure bank, student debt forgiveness and principal reduction to spread the recovery throughout the economy beyond Washington and Wall Street. 

The Conference also presents Financial Literacy, featuring Wells Fargo’s Hands On Banking Internet-based curriculum, to promote neighborhood stabilization and home retention.  According to RPC Vice President Janice Mathis, “we are working on three fronts:  we aim to improve public policy at the state and federal levels; promote urban and rural economic development and job creation and help families and congregations escape or avoid poverty by making sure they have as much knowledge as possible.  Federal investment is designed to spur economic recovery, but without participation by unemployed persons and underutilized firms, the stimulus cannot achieve its purpose.  According to Rev. Jackson, “we cannot just water the leaves, we must also stimulate the roots to revive the economy.” 

Small business owners will get a bird’s eye view of how investments in critical infrastructure creates contracting and job opportunities from some of the largest public and private players including MARTA, Georgia Power Co. and the Coca-Cola Company.   G.G. Dixon and Moanica Caston, two executives on the rise, will speak at the Business Breakfast on Friday morning.  

A session on Voting Rights is being led by noted Birmingham lawyer Byron Perkins (Coca-Cola and John Deere) because the right to vote is under attack and defines the  freedoms, obligations and rights enjoyed by all Americans. 

 

Students will get a roadmap to “Life Beyond the Playing Field and the Stage” under the direction of Dextor Clinkscale, former safety for the Dallas Cowboys. RPC will recognize the contributions of Horace King, Clarence Pope, Larry West, Richard Applebee, Chuck Kinnebrew, the class of African Americans who were the first scholarship athletes to play for the storied University of Georgia.  A special surprise guest will be on hand as well.   

Also on Saturday, Axel Adams will facilitate the Youth Summit, as a new generation of leaders takes the stage to discuss solutions to issues that uniquely impact young people, including Hip-hop culture, violence and bullying.  Emory University, Georgia Tech and other colleges and universities will participate in the annual College Fair.   

On Friday, the Jesse Jackson Public Policy Institute will present a public policy roundtable, focused on state and local government.  Participants include Charleston, South Carolina state representative Dave Mack and Louisiana Black Caucus Chair Patricia A. Smith.  Racial profiling, voter id, gun control, financial aid, health care are all dictated to some degree by state legislation and local ordinances.  Fairer government requires broad engagement.  The session will take on the issue of the State of the Southern Rainbow.  In the wake of recent conservative political gains, regional leaders will discuss the fate and future of the progressive agenda.  

The following persons will be honored for their contributions to civic and economic life during the conference Keep Hope Alive Gala:  Dr. Joseph Leonard, Assistant Secretary of the USDA for Civil Rights and Tommy Dortch.  

The Wardlaw Brothers and the Jean Childs Young Middle School Jazz Band will perform at the Keep Hope Alive Gala which celebrates Rev. Jackson’s birthday and benefits the work of RPC, CEF and families facing economic insecurity. 

 

For More Information, call 404 525 5663 or visit  www.rainbowpushatlanta.org

 

 

 

 

GET INFORMED GET INSPIRED GET INVOLVED

IRS TARGETING IS NOTHING NEW

IRS targeting presumed political points of view is not exactly new.  Several years ago Bill O'Reilly indicated on his very popular nightly news/opinion show on FOX that he would "go to his grave" to figure out how Jesse Jackson and Rainbow PUSH Coalition raised money.  I don't recall now what inflammatory opinion of Rev. Jackson's set him off.  But he was livid.  He invited his audience to contact the IRS and demand an audit. And they complied.  The IRS agents wasted no time paying a visit to the Chicago headquarters of Rainbow PUSH and its charitable affiliate, CEF.  They found very little.  The money was raised the old fashioned way...asking people with money to donate.  CEF's charitable 501 c 3 status was challenged, but ultimately upheld.  It was a little surprising when IRS agents produced news clips quoting Rev. as he barnstormed college campuses for voter registration.They found that his standard "stay out of the bushes" quip crossed the non-partisan line and since CEF works closely with RPC, it got a rap across the knuckles and a substantial fine.  Not to mention the legal fees that were racked up.  We did strengthen the fire walls of independence between CEF's voter education and RPC's advocacy,

It never occurred to us to holler foul, or to flop.  We meant to influence public policy.  It was almost a badge of honor.  After all Dr. King had been targeted by the IRS. 

This occurred during the old days before Citizens United when 501 c organizations were not supposed to influence partisan elections and money had not been alchemized into speech.    We were not the only ones.  During the same period, the NAACP, National Urban League and some big black Baptist churches on the west coast all had protracted dealings with the IRS.  The prevailing attitude at the time was, 'of course we are being targeted' - they don't like our politics and we don't like theirs.  For the Tea Party and other ultra-right groups to pretend that they had not declared their intention to undo progressive public policy is frankly, ludicrous. If you think I have fallen and bumped my head, read "IRS targeting goes back decades, houses of worship have been main targets"

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/06/13/irs-targeting-goes-back-decades-houses-worship-have-been-main-targets/#ixzz2WKgnEft0

Independent Foreclosure Review - Deadline Dec. 31st

Eligibility for Independent Foreclosure Review (IFR)
Borrowers are eligible for an independent foreclosure review if they meet the following criteria:

• the property securing the loan was the borrower's primary residence;
• the mortgage was in the foreclosure process (initiated, pending, or completed) at any time between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010; and
• the mortgage was serviced by one of the following mortgage servicers:

America's Servicing Company	Countrywide	National City Mortgage
Aurora Loan Services	EMC Mortgage Corporation	PNC Mortgage
BAC Home Loans Servicing	EverBank/EverHome Mortgage Company	Sovereign Bank
Bank of America	Financial Freedom	SunTrust Mortgage
Beneficial	GMAC Mortgage	U.S. Bank
Chase	HFC	Wachovia Mortgage
Citibank	HSBC	Washington Mutual (WaMu)
CitiFinancial	IndyMac Mortgage Services	Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
CitiMortgage	MetLife Bank	Wilshire Credit Corporation

If you previously filed a complaint with these servicers about foreclosures pending during the review period, you may still seek an independent review of your foreclosure.
There are no costs associated with being included in the review; the review is a free program. Beware of anyone who wants payment to assist you in connection with the independent foreclosure review or any other foreclosure assistance program.

Review Process

Information about the review process, including how to request an independent review, was mailed to potentially eligible borrowers in November and December 2011. If you believe that you meet the three criteria but have not received a mailing, call 888-952-9105, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (ET), and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET). Individuals can also get more information about the review through a website set up by the servicers, www.IndependentForeclosureReview.com . A list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers are available on the website.
Individuals will be sent an acknowledgement letter from the review administrator within one week after their request for an independent review is received. Individuals will be notified in writing of the results of the review. Because the review process will be a thorough and complete examination of many details and documents, it could take several months to complete the review.
Rust Consulting was selected and hired by the servicers to serve as the central administrator of the independent foreclosure review. Rust Consulting will notify borrowers, receive requests for a review, and respond to questions about the independent foreclosure review process.

Deadline to Request a Review

Requests for review by the servicers’ independent consultants must be postmarked or submitted online by December 31, 2012.¹ Borrowers are encouraged to carefully consider the information about the review program to determine if they are eligible to participate.

Federal Reserve’s Role

The Federal Reserve’s role is to ensure compliance with the enforcement actions issued in April 2011. As required by those actions, independent consultants will conduct the reviews of foreclosures and determine whether errors, misrepresentations, or other deficiencies resulted in financial injury. The Federal Reserve will monitor the independent foreclosure review process and the servicer’s outreach efforts.

For More Info, Call Rainbow PUSH at 404 525 5663 or visit
http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/independent-foreclosure-review.htm

Requiem for 100 Auburn Avenue

I am fairly emotionless. Well, that’s not exactly true. But I tend to express emotion on paper better than face-to-face. Wednesday was the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s last day at Atlanta Life, aka Herndon Plaza, aka 100 Auburn Avenue. We are not going far away. We have taken a suite at the Odd Fellows Building at 250 Auburn Avenue, just two blocks down the street. But this has been home for nearly 13 years, and I will miss it.

We negotiated an inclusion pact with NASCAR in the sumptuous boardroom upstairs. I worked out a deal on behalf of mistreated Nationwide agents down in the cafeteria. And used the same room to tell John Deere officials that “we can make excuses, or we can make progress” toward its first black franchisee. We did not always win. Atlanta Life was scene of more than a few high profile losses. After Troy Davis’ execution, we vowed to keep fighting the death penalty. RPC tried (and failed) to explain why the charter school amendment was a bad idea and the TSPLOST was a good idea.

I never walked through the atrium without being inspired by the artistic genius of Wardsworth Jarrell or the entrepreneurial mendacity of Alonzo Herndon. Rev. Jackson urged Colin Powell to intervene in Haiti from the phone on my desk. But, it was not all business. We celebrated my daughter’s college graduation here, and last week I called her from here to check on my first grand-child. A building is only bricks and mortar. It’s the principles that matter long after the last crate is loaded onto the moving van. That is what I am going to keep telling myself today and in the days and weeks ahead.

Janice L. Mathis

Greenville South Carolina Chapter

Rainbow PUSH Coalition to Celebrate 40 Years of Civil Rights Activism



Operation PUSH was founded on Christmas Day, 1971. On May 14, 2011, Rev. Jackson’s hometown will celebrate his forty years of activism with a dinner at the West End Community Center on Vardry Street. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is one of this generation’s cutting-edge advocates for fair and equal treatment. Whether it is ending poverty, fighting for the HOPE scholarship or the Voting Rights Act or alternatives to home foreclosure, RPC stays on the front lines. Rev. Jackson will be joined by comedian Tommy Davidson, Mayor Knox White, as well as a host of friends from Greenville, South Carolina, including Councilwomen Lottie Gibson and Xanthene Norris. Coach Joseph D. Mathis will be honored at the event. The celebrated coach of the Sterling Tigers will be inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame on May 23, 2011 in Columbia, S.C. According to Chapter President Rev. James Nesbitt, “He taught a generation of young African Americans to believe in themselves when the society was telling them to stay in their place.” Tickets for the event are only $30.00 and benefit the work of Rainbow PUSH in the Upstate of South Carolina. To purchase tickets, call Davida Mathis at 864 232-0809.

Women in Rainbow PUSH

You’ve heard the saying, “behind every good man is a good woman.” When it comes to Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the phrase could be paraphrased, “behind every great civil rights organization is a principled group of committed women.” Filling such key roles as Education Director, Trade Bureau Director, Automotive Director, V.P. for Legal Affairs and Public Policy Director. The women of the Rainbow make the organization the effective advocate for civil and human rights that it has become. There is no question that Rev. Jackson is the visionary. According to Trade Bureau Director Marshette Turner, “Our job is to make the vision real. We do the follow up, design and implement the programs and respond to the calls for assistance.” Today, Rev. Jackson is crusading to Reduce the Rate (for college student loans) that experts say are saddling too many young Americans with tens of thousands of dollars in crippling student debt. Education Director Dr. Bonita Carr has implemented a petition drive to galvanize popular support for better financial aid so that college grads don’t start their professional lives deeply in debt. Her department also produces an annual college tour and routinely screens hundreds of applications to the PUSH Excel’s scholarship programs. Kimberly Marcus, an innovator and trailblazer, orchestrated the first ever Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hearing at a civil rights headquarter in September 2007. All 5 FCC Commissions gathered at Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago, IL to participate in a media ownership hearing were more than 2000 people testified on the importance of women and minorities having an equal opportunity to enter into the very white male dominated world of media ownership. In 2007 when Rev. Jackson began to warn the nation that home mortgage foreclosure was a “tsunami” that would engulf the nation’s economy, Jackson went to policy makers like Senator Chris Dodd and Congressman Barney Franks to say, “restructure mortgages, don’t repossess homes.” Janice Mathis, a lawyer with RPC working out of the Atlanta office, immediately began to assist families facing foreclosure work with their creditors to modify toxic mortgages. Janice recently arranged for Rainbow PUSH to file a brief with the Supreme Court when Section V of the Voting Rights Act recently came under legal attack and organized the huge Keep the Vote Alive march and rally in Atlanta in 2005.Glenda Gill, a highly respected automotive expert in her own right, makes sure that black dealers and suppliers are heard when automotive contracts are being negotiated. It was Glenda who spearheaded the research that forced Toyota’s historic $7.8 billion dollar diversity initiative and she also worked to expose race-based auto loans, resulting in better industry practices and hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation. According to Glenda Gill, “Rev. Jackson sets the agenda…the women in the organization (and highly capable men) set the table to make the dream a reality.” Women in the upper echelon of Rainbow PUSH leadership are part of the organization’s tradition. Mrs. Jacqueline Jackson has been a key confidante and advisor to Rev. Jackson for decades. She went to Cuba and to Syria before Rev. Jackson did, and in many ways introduced him to foreign policy. Rev. Willie T. Barrow, chair emeritus of RPC keeps an active schedule of speeches well into her eighth decade of service. So far, women have rarely led major civil rights organizations – and those that do are typically widows of a slain organizational President. The Movement remains a largely male-led bastion, with a few exceptions. Mrs. King created real power as Dr. King’s widow and Myrlie Evers (widow of Medgar Evers) briefly led the NAACP. Melanie Campbell, President of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation is a rare exception. But the women of the Rainbow are undaunted. “The day will come when a woman leads a major civil rights organization. Women have too much talent and commitment to be ignored.”Janice Mathis
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